SURVEY | ASL Interpreters for the Deaf – Do You Use Professional Liability Insurance?

Let me start by saying this blog post is not to promote any provider or to sell anything. It is an open forum to discuss the subject of Sign Language Interpreter Liability Insurance for interpreters everywhere.

The subject comes up in many workshops but is normally not discussed in much depth. What are your thoughts and experiences on this subject?

I know of two providers that offer liability insurance for sign language interpreters.

“English at this table, please,” was a comment that I recalled while attending this early morning meeting consisting of executives and major stockholders.

During this meeting, I had an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter sitting, facing directly me on the other side of the center of the conference table. Before the meeting started, I was having a brief conversation with the ASL interpreter using ASL, with no voice.

With both my hearing aid and cochlear implant turned on, I could sense that overlapping verbal conversations around the table had quickly ceased, while my peripheral vision inputs suggested some of the heads have turned to watch me.

Quickly scanning the table to my right and left confirmed that all eyes were on me. I knew instantly that everyone was starting to use their imagination in figuring out what was conveyed between the interpreter and me.